After perennially injured All-NBA L.A. Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was essentially compelled to withdraw from Team USA basketball this summer before the Paris Olympics, it appears that the fate of another superstar forward (and Leonard’s 2019 NBA Finals foe), All-Star Phoenix Suns power forward Kevin Durant, is now in jeopardy.
The 6-foot-11 big man sat out Team USA’s exhibition matchup against Team Canada last Wednesday in Las Vegas, an 86-72 comeback victory, with a calf strain. He subsequently missed Team USA’s Abu Dhabi practice on Saturday and will remain on the shelf for a Monday warmup game against another loaded program, Team Australia.
“I know there’s still a couple of weeks before we have to make a decision roster-wise,” Team USA head coach Steve Kerr said regarding Durant’s long-term fate with the club. “So we’re just taking it day by day.”
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Per Windhorst, Team USA is apparently confident enough that Durant will prove available to represent his country in the competition this year that it has yet to supply a backup plan for his replacement.
“It’s not something we’ve even discussed at this point because we feel good that [Durant] is going to be OK,” Kerr continued.
Kerr coached Durant to three NBA Finals and a pair of titles with the Golden State Warriors from 2016-19, before a dissatisfied Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent.
Durant, a 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA honoree (including this season, when he was named to an All-NBA Second Team as the best player for the 49-33 Suns), two-time Finals MVP with the Warriors, and the 2013-14 league MVP, is a frequent flier in international play. He won his first gold medal on Team USA during the 2010 FIBA World Cup, then joined Team USA for the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Olympics (the “2020” Tokyo Olympics actually transpired in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
One of the most elite scorers in the history of the league, the 35-year-old Texas product has barely lost a step when he’s been able to suit up, averaging 26.2 points on a .523/.413/.856 slash line, 6.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals a night across 75 regular season games with the Suns in 2023-24.
Leonard was replaced by Boston Celtics All-Defensive guard Derrick White, much to the apparent chagrin of his All-Star small forward teammate Jaylen Brown. Brown would make some sense as a Durant replacement if need be, thanks to his solid scoring and better perimeter defense.
Read More: NBA Champion to Replace Kawhi Leonard on Team USA in Paris Olympics: Report
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.